5

Chapter Five

Halle Wilder

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As I packed my bags, my hands trembled with every item I folded. Maybe leaving was the best option. There was nothing here for me anymore.

Who knows if I would eventually find my wolf when I get to the academy?

Anywhere would be better than being with people who hurt me and ended up manipulating me to think it was for my own good.

I wasn’t a child anymore, and they had no right to hide anything from me. Maybe they thought they were just trying to protect me, but I didn’t need their protection.

Hours later, I was done packing my bag.

Before leaving my room, I took one last look at everything. When my eyes landed on the portrait of me and my twin sister, I picked it up and smashed it on the wall.

The last time I saw Chloe was when she was in bed with Kai. She didn’t even care to find me or speak to me. But what could she possibly say?

It was better that she kept her distance.

Disappointment clung to me like a second skin whenever I remembered that I lost my sister and boyfriend in one day. At least my father had the decency to apologize even if it didn’t change anything.

But the other ones, they didn’t care how their actions made me feel.

I took my bags and headed out to the black SUV that was waiting to take me to the academy. Nobody even cared to bid me goodbye.

I felt so alone.

Leaving the pack was the best option.

Plus, if Kai was right. It was better to leave than die within the pack.

As the driver drove through the city, I stared outside the window. Every mile we drove felt like I was being pulled farther away from everything I had ever known.

At the same time, I wasn’t sure if I even knew them.

My gaze drifted to the acceptance letter I was holding — it was my new life. Maybe it was my fate. I wanted to believe that my life would get better when I got there.

That’s if they don’t kill me the second I step into those gates.

As my mind raced with different thoughts, I had no idea when I drifted off to sleep.

But a few moments later, I woke up to chaos.

The SUV had stopped.

I sat upright, blinking rapidly as I took a look at my surroundings. We were at the border checkpoint and a group of angry warriors surrounded the car.

“What’s going on?” I asked groggily, a confused expression registered on my face.

The driver was also confused.

“Step out of the car.” One of the angry warriors commanded as he continuously hit the door.

I was scared. I couldn’t step out of the car with all those people outside. What was happening? I needed to call my father.

My hands were shaking as I rummaged through my bag to find my phone. But before I could even dial his number, the driver unlocked the doors.

“What are you doing?” I screamed at him.

He didn’t say anything, he just stepped out of the vehicle and gave the angry warriors access to me. One of them opened the door and dragged me outside.

My hands were clammy and my heart pounded in my chest. Why were they attacking me? What did I do? Was I cursed? Terrible things were happening to me.

“What’s going on?” I asked one of the men who held me.

“You think you can run away, huh? After trying to poison your sister and stealing important documents from the Duskmoon Pack?”

I froze.

What was he talking about? I poisoned my sister?

“That’s a lie. I didn’t do anything… I can’t poison my sister. Is she okay?”

Nobody answered me. They just hovered around me like they were ready to pounce on me.

“You think you can run away?”

“You can’t escape your punishment.”

“Where is the document?”

Different voices sounded at once.

My breath became shaky and I was starting to have a panic attack. “Call my father. Where’s my daddy? I didn’t steal. I didn’t poison.”

Defending myself was useless because nobody was interested in hearing anything I had to say.

Fear gripped me and I couldn’t even think properly. The only thing I knew was that I had to run or I wouldn’t be able to survive.

It was a good thing that I always moved with a pepper spray in my back pocket. I reached out for it and sprayed it on their faces without hesitation.

I didn’t waste another second trying to see what would happen next, instead, I pushed my way through the crowd and ran.

I ran like my life depended on it. It actually did.

The woods near the border weren't far, and I dove into them without a second thought. The tree branches tore my skin and leaves slapped against my face but I didn’t stop running.

I didn’t even turn back to check if they were chasing me.

I just needed to get away.

But as I ran, my mind kept wandering back to Chloe. Was she okay? Why were they accusing me of poisoning her? Did someone actually poison her?

Even if my sister betrayed me, I didn’t want her dead.

I just hoped she was okay.

After what felt like hours, my body finally broke down. I stopped and collapsed near a small stream and I tried to catch my breath.

My body felt dizzy, I tried to get up but I couldn’t move my legs anymore. No, I couldn’t pass out there. What if they eventually found me?

I didn’t want to die — they looked like they were ready to kill me.

But I couldn’t resist my eyes as they shut off.

Maybe this was the end for me.

I woke up to the scent of leather and pine.

My body was aching and I looked around and found myself in an unfamiliar room. I wasn’t outside anymore, I was lying on a bed with clean sheets.

I was confused for a moment.

And then, I saw him.

The most beautiful man I had ever set eyes on.

He stood tall at the edge of the bed, folding his arms as he stared at me. His dark hair was tousled, his jaw was sharp, and his blue eyes were even sharper.

“Who are you?” I finally muttered, breaking the silence.

He stared at me for a long second. “I’m your true mate.”